The Silver Screen Oasis

Ms. G., I was so surprised to the cover of the Pyramid book on Gary Cooper. I used to have that book. I know it's around here somewhere. But the Pyramid books I can readily see in my bookcase are: Cary Grant, The Gangsters, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Gable, Boris Karloff and Henry Fonda.

I'm looking forward to "Ten North Frederick."

CineMaven wrote:Ms. G., I was so surprised to the cover of the Pyramid book on Gary Cooper. I used to have that book. I know it's around here somewhere. But the Pyramid books I can readily see in my bookcase are: Cary Grant, The Gangsters, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Gable, Boris Karloff and Henry Fonda.

I'm looking forward to "Ten North Frederick."

I thank you again for mentioning it was on the schedule--I'd have missed it and been so upset!

Is this the cover you mean:

(click to enlarge)


Oh! Who put this here?

I'll try and give you a wake up call the day before "Ten North Frederick" airs.

As for Gary shirtless...my god! My god!!

I second April's motion Anne and my favorite films of his are his Pre-1937 movies: "Design for Living" (1933), "Peter Ibbetson" (1935), the haunting "The Wedding Night" (1935), "One Sunday Afternoon" (1933), "Desire" (1936), "Morocco" (1930), "A Farewell to Arms" (1932), "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1934), among the ones I can recall. You should watch those ones! His persona up to that point was different and -IMO- richer and more complex.

I agree with you wholeheartedly Fernando, I haven't seen all the movies you list but the ones I have seen I just love. Morocco, Bluebeard's Eighth Wife and Design for Living are superb.

Perhaps I haven't seen the best of Cooper's later movies. I really liked him in Love in the Afternoon but just felt that the age difference was too great, part of the problem is that Audrey herself looks so young. I don't think this was a fault of Gary Cooper's I don't think any of the actors from that generation could have done portrayed it better. In comparison Clark Gable and Sophia Loren were fine in It Started in Naples.

I liked The Fountainhead, very different but very good.

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Honestly, all of you guys. I've seen all of those movies you listed. Remember, I've been watching movies since the early 50's, and they were showing movies from the 30's on TV at that time, so many that I've seen, I just forget the names until someone brings it up.

Anyway, speaking of Gary and Audrey, and Love in the Afternoon, I didn't get any of the creepy-crawly feelings about them from Charade, with Audrey and Cary Grant. I've done a little homework and find that with Love, there was a difference of 30 years, and with Charade - 27 years. So the time frames were almost equal, but Cary was still the Handsome Devil. In fact, I read somewhere that in filming Love in the Afternoon, they deliberately used film noir tricks with Gary in lots of shadows to hide his facial aging. Now don't get upset, I'm just saying Gary was getting on and seemed to be pushing it. Some guys age so beautifully gracefully and some guys don't, Gary was one who didn't.
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You are right there, objectivelly Cary Grant aged like no one else. It's amazing to think that in in 1965 he was still a dashing lady killer, just as he had been in the early 1930s. Sean Connery is a similar case. I'd like to have both actors' great genetics- to stay fit, healthy, etc. past my '70s!

I think Cary looked a little too pinched in the face and too tanned for my liking in his later years, well for me anyhow but generally he looked great.

I still think the part of the problem with Love is the Audrey played a girl who lived with her father, giving her the air of a teenager or very young woman, if Cary had played Gary's part I think it would still have jarred. By Charade Audrey was playing a married woman, there is world of difference in the two characters.

Sorry to change the subject a little bit, BUT...I watched One Sunday Afternoon last week. I didn't like it. Am I the only one? Gary's character seemed like such an oaf. I have to say that I prefer The Strawberry Blonde with Cagney. The film seemed slow, even by 1930's standards. I did enjoy the women's performances, though.

Thoughts, anyone?

Sandy K

I had a similar reaction. It took me about three tries to get through the movie. There seemed to be a more misogynistic feel to the story as well, as opposed to the Cagney-de Havilland version. I usually enjoy Cooper's laconic style, but I kept wondering if he'd inhaled more of the gas in the dental chair than necessary in this story. Maybe I overlookd the charm in this one, but I wish someone who liked the movie would say what I should have been looking for.

Yes, I agree with you about the misogynistic feel to the Cooper version. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but that's it.

moirafinnie wrote: I usually enjoy Cooper's laconic style, but I kept wondering if he'd inhaled more of the gas in the dental chair than necessary in this story.

Ha! Thanks for the laugh. moira! So true!

Sandy K

It didn't quite work for me either, he didn't come across as well as he usually does. I felt it was a film he had little interest in but that may be cruel on my behalf, the only one I really liked was Frances Fuller.

YES! I thought Frances Fuller was adorable. It seems that she was more of a stage actress. A pity that she didn't make more films, she was lovely.

Sandy K

For Gary Cooper fans who can get the Fox Movie Channel, this Saturday morning (October 17th, 2009), Gary Cooper will be starring in "TEN NORTH FREDERICK" at 6:00AM. Set those vcrs, dvd-rs, tivos or whatever recording devices you have.